ABSTRACT:
Virtual worlds implemented as online multi-user environments possess great potential in connecting teams collaborating on tasks such as brainstorming and idea generation. Brainstorming and idea generation for teams usually occur in innovation Labs, which is a physical purpose-built facility to support such sessions. Virtual online innovation labs provide more benefits such as connecting team members in different geographical locations and providing more customisation possibilities. However, not all facilitators of such brainstorming sessions possess the technical and programming skills required to create virtual online labs and manage brainstorming processes within such labs. In this study, we propose an end-user programming methodology which we refer to as Responsive Templating to generate such virtual online innovation labs and manage activities within it. We report on technical evaluation of our Responsive Templating system with facilitators within a university setting creating and managing online brainstorming sessions for students. Findings showed that the end-user programming approach was useful in helping facilitators with little or no virtual world development and programming skill create and manage virtual online brainstorming sessions for student teams.
Keywords:
End-user programming, Innovation, Innovation-Labs, Virtual Reality
